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History / OriginalityGot a question about 1982-1992 Camaro or Firebird history? Have a question about original parts, options, RPO codes, when something was available, or how to document your car? Those questions, answers, and much more!
I guess people could just sand and paint the repros flat black and then hand paint them.. would probably be closer to the factory..
I had to paint my OEM silver one back in the day because it started fading.. looked pretty good! Just need a steady hand..
Is it like this for the 60s and 70s cars too?
Even doing that, the repros have different looking letters/fonts than OEM. If you are a stickler for correctness, I'd urge people to keep the factory emblems if at all possible.
I think there is some variability in replacement parts for the '60's and '70's cars as well. But if you are willing to spend a few more bucks, accurate reproduction parts are available.
Maybe there would be a market for making the reproductions “more correct” of a lot of different parts..
There are not a whole bunch of 3rd gen restorations, probably because there are so many low mile cars coming out of the woodwork.
What I am seeing though, are a lot of people with solid 3rd gens, maybe with a few miles on them, who want to "refresh" their cars and make them look factory fresh. They are looking for EXACT trim pieces, emblems, etc., and won't settle for less.
I guess that’s where I’m at. I want the car to look like it rolled out of the showroom yesterday. An original emblem with a crack or fading just won’t do..
I guess I’m fine with repros for now and when better parts come out (hopefully they do some day) I’ll swap stuff out. Even with super low mile cars there’s little things that you’d want to fix up for that “brand, brand new” look.
I still have all the original bits and pieces I swapped out. I’d never get rid of even time worn OEM stuff.. I hear ya
I guess that’s where I’m at. I want the car to look like it rolled out of the showroom yesterday. An original emblem with a crack or fading just won’t do..
I guess I’m fine with repros for now and when better parts come out (hopefully they do some day) I’ll swap stuff out. Even with super low mile cars there’s little things that you’d want to fix up for that “brand, brand new” look.
I still have all the original bits and pieces I swapped out. I’d never get rid of even time worn OEM stuff.. I hear ya
See this antenna bezel? Because of the position in the garage my black '89 sat in for 20 years, the original bezel had a small area of fading. Literally, no one but me could notice it, but notice it I did and it bugged me. I guess I could have painted it, but I was able to find a GM OEM part to replace it. Most 3rd gens I see, this part is fairly trashed. Someone could sell a few if they reproduced it.
Mine did the same thing and faded. I couldn't find a replacement part at the time so I soaked it in Armor All for about a week and its been good since.
Thanks for the update Chaz. A little browse of the market with my morning coffee and I see a perfect example of the call to action on this very thread http://www.autotrader.ca/go/19-10614222
ie this would seem in need of nothing other than the best possible emblem replacement.
Thanks for the update Chaz. A little browse of the market with my morning coffee and I see a perfect example of the call to action on this very thread http://www.autotrader.ca/go/19-10614222
ie this would seem in need of nothing other than the best possible emblem replacement.
Ouch! That one deserves a new ACCURATE replacement.
I wish I could recommend the new, remastered ones, but so far, the sample I was promised is missing in action.
Thanks for the update Chaz. A little browse of the market with my morning coffee and I see a perfect example of the call to action on this very thread http://www.autotrader.ca/go/19-10614222
ie this would seem in need of nothing other than the best possible emblem replacement.
I hadn't seen that ad yet, nice car, wow. I think it'd only be better if it was an '87.
If a source for an accurate 5.7 emblem happens I am in for one, maybe 2 so I have a spare. Mine isn't as bad as the one in the link but it's not far off.
Thanks for the update Chaz. A little browse of the market with my morning coffee and I see a perfect example of the call to action on this very thread http://www.autotrader.ca/go/19-10614222
ie this would seem in need of nothing other than the best possible emblem replacement.
What? You guys don't know about the rare S.7 Tijned Port Injectior?
See this antenna bezel? Because of the position in the garage my black '89 sat in for 20 years, the original bezel had a small area of fading. Literally, no one but me could notice it, but notice it I did and it bugged me. I guess I could have painted it, but I was able to find a GM OEM part to replace it. Most 3rd gens I see, this part is fairly trashed. Someone could sell a few if they reproduced it.
Interesting, as I always thought they where closer to trim black. Does that mean the door handles where that glossy too? I recall another thread going on about that.
As everyone sees them faded, repaints & restores them to matched aged ones, Your perfect GM original will be the one that is incorrect...
Interesting, as I always thought they where closer to trim black. Does that mean the door handles where that glossy too? I recall another thread going on about that.
As everyone sees them faded, repaints & restores them to matched aged ones, Your perfect GM original will be the one that is incorrect...
Door handles are more matt. The bezel is just unpainted black plastic. Trim black would be more matt.
See this antenna bezel? Because of the position in the garage my black '89 sat in for 20 years, the original bezel had a small area of fading. Literally, no one but me could notice it, but notice it I did and it bugged me. I guess I could have painted it, but I was able to find a GM OEM part to replace it. Most 3rd gens I see, this part is fairly trashed. Someone could sell a few if they reproduced it.
It’s funny how the closer to mint the car.. you start noticing you don’t like the way carpet fibers lay in a footwell.. I notice those things too.. I always look for NOS first.. always on the lookout..
It’s funny how the closer to mint the car.. you start noticing you don’t like the way carpet fibers lay in a footwell.. I notice those things too.. I always look for NOS first.. always on the lookout..
Whether its center caps for early 16" IROC-Z wheels, window switches, washer fluid bottles, your TPI emblem, IROC-Z grille inserts, parking lights etc, most every aftermarket reproduction piece for a third gen is pure crap. Designed to look good in an ebay ad, and thats it. The little "GM Approved" sticker that is sometimes included doesn't fool me or anyone here either.
Its too bad your original broke Charlie. I would hold out for a NOS piece.
I was planning to replace my hatch and power window switches with repros as the white silkscreening is worn off. Should I just live them if the repro pieces are pure crap or are good reproduction parts available to replace them?
Here is a picture of a reproduction one I got a while ago. In terms of quality, I think it looks pretty good.
Its nice & straight & the color is good, but it does have that same issue we were talking about where the script changes thickness's. You can see in the "E'"s
& in most of the 90 degree bends in the other letters. Its looks fine, but compared to the originals they are a little different.
Here is Chaz's picture from post #78 you can see the difference. Oem on the left.
With todays technology, & no matter what country is making these, you would think its on purpose for copyright laws? Otherwise I just don't understand it. We have been hearing that for decades on aftermarket parts. I still wonder how much of that is true, & how much of it is an excuse?
Now, if your the guy who has all the NOS emblems you need, your kinda happy they are not the same as it protects your investment & sets your cars apart.
I have a full set of Goodyear polyglass radials for my 79 Trans am & was so happy to be able to buy them about 12 years ago. Then Kelsey started remaking them. The news was bittersweet. Cool to be able to buy road worth correct tires on the cars, but if I ever use my originals, they are nothing special other than the DOT date (that nobody looks at)
Well I was pretty stoked on the no-other-bid win here
Until it arrived. Either a misrepresentation by the seller or more likely his shabby protective pack did not stand the rigors of USPS travel to my door. : (
Chaz I see immediately how yours was destroyed on removal. These things are flimsy as hell!
...ok held against the original on the backend I’m now wondering whether this was the real deal to begin with. Sealed and *in the right packing*, right?
Yet plastic rather than the more metallic seeming original on now....older GM 90s replacement or something? Maybe it’s just the hard plastic aging in that bag..
Hi.. In the past few weeks we've had about 1,000 of the Silver TPI emblems pulled and some of the gold ones. Red ones that were retooled recently are excellent. At SOME time..over the last maybe 24 months while in storage.. making these in batches of 2000 or so .. I suspect SOME have sweated.. in the plastic they are sealed in & packed down... that has effected some paint finishes. Some not all.
We put a slither of cardboard with the emblems each to help hold them firm. OEM were historically in plastic too, but not supported. The effect of storage, compression & heat seems to have buggered the paint on many.. may be described as flat or rough edged. Not horrid.. but we are cutting up heaps of them. If a product changes or its quality is crook.. we kill it.. like scores of perfect '89 TTA emblems with the pin 3/4 inch out.. bloody sad but so be it.. The 1979-81 Tail lamp lenses.. there's a heap of photos going around of about 50 being stood on..guys were crying about it.. but .. minor imperfections count.
In about 8 weeks ..as we have just finished redoing the red series better.. I'll re-release the Silver TPI emblems. The paint harder but not crack off or flare on any sides.... paint hardened but not melting the plastic the OEM ones were designed form. They really should be made of metel/ alloy.. but it's not viable ..and not original. To date in the last 6-7 years..we'd supplied probably 2,000 of these to owners.. this issue today has not been a long term one.
We want everything perfect.... the next batch may cost a bit more.. and will be better, but still nothing like NOS $.
If anybody that has purchased one of our emblems EVER.. (proof may be needed) and has an issue .. contact me -
.. Chazman.. as the new tooling is already done .. we expect to have more silver and more gold out in about 8 weeks. Keep in touch and i will send you a new one.
(Dave Clee) pwdistribution@gmail.com. Unlike our politicians... we don't run out of ethics.
For the record, I've never gotten a sample of the newly tooled emblem to examine, even after several email exchanges. My peeps are patiently waiting.
Thanks Chaz. The guy was a solid thirdgenner and he’s sending his last one properly shipped. Waiting indeed- the remaining old ones are as fragile as Egyptian artifacts.
Thanks Chaz. The guy was a solid thirdgenner and he’s sending his last one properly shipped. Waiting indeed- the remaining old ones are as fragile as Egyptian artifacts.
Good to hear! I've seen no OEM emblems on ebay in many months, only repops. The fact that you're getting a GM one is great.
Well the second one arrived fully intact. This time a helluva pack job. The JC gear outta left field lent a certain divine aura to the unboxing lol
Frankly this emblem is too nice for a 115k mile summer daily - I’d always be checking on its condition. I think I’ll hang on to this for some full repaint many moons from now and throw on the one I got first after a best efforts rehab.
Unfortunately so many of the aftermarket companies just do not go into detail. The case in point, the font is just slightly different. Rather than going through the part and making sure the new one is exactly the same, they take a generic font and then hammer it out and say "that is close enough" The little things that drive me nuts are things like this... It takes only a little more effort to make it exactly right, but that is too much to ask for I guess.
Unfortunately so many of the aftermarket companies just do not go into detail. The case in point, the font is just slightly different. Rather than going through the part and making sure the new one is exactly the same, they take a generic font and then hammer it out and say "that is close enough" The little things that drive me nuts are things like this... It takes only a little more effort to make it exactly right, but that is too much to ask for I guess.
And I'll add....as far as these emblems being retooled by the manufacturer as a result of this thread.....all the reproduction ones I've seen as of today, are the same crappy ones I complained about over a year ago.
Unfortunately so many of the aftermarket companies just do not go into detail. The case in point, the font is just slightly different. Rather than going through the part and making sure the new one is exactly the same, they take a generic font and then hammer it out and say "that is close enough" The little things that drive me nuts are things like this... It takes only a little more effort to make it exactly right, but that is too much to ask for I guess.
one point I'd like to make you aware of reproduction parts cant be spot on like OEM due to laws I'm sure. That way they cant be sued, I'd bet for like copywrite laws blah blah blah I help manage a large fleet of roughly 6,000 vehicles and when we get the A/M grills the bow tie emblems don't fit in them-
so that can be part of the reason or the other they just don't care
one point I'd like to make you aware of reproduction parts cant be spot on like OEM due to laws I'm sure. That way they cant be sued, I'd bet for like copywrite laws blah blah blah I help manage a large fleet of roughly 6,000 vehicles and when we get the A/M grills the bow tie emblems don't fit in them-
so that can be part of the reason or the other they just don't care
These parts are "supposedly" GM licensed. No excuses.
These parts are "supposedly" GM licensed. No excuses.
Its very disappointing to order a licensed part and find that it’s not even close.. And these incorrect parts are not cheap either.. You end up having to go out and buy NOS so you waste a ton of time and $$$ with these bogus parts..
I think it’s a matter of someone saying “close enough, no one will notice that..”. Then they do a big run eager to sell the parts and that’s what we’re stuck with until they all sell..
Its very disappointing to order a licensed part and find that it’s not even close.. And these incorrect parts are not cheap either.. You end up having to go out and buy NOS so you waste a ton of time and $$$ with these bogus parts..
I think it’s a matter of someone saying “close enough, no one will notice that..”. Then they do a big run eager to sell the parts and that’s what we’re stuck with until they all sell..
I still see people on FB proudly displaying these newly attached crappy emblems, without a clue that they are substandard.
I still see people on FB proudly displaying these newly attached crappy emblems, without a clue that they are substandard.
well if no one cares maybe thet will drive down the price of NOS! I’ll use a repro if it’s better than the original, but I’m always looking for NOS on eBay.. I’ve just come to accept that’s how it is..
one point I'd like to make you aware of reproduction parts cant be spot on like OEM due to laws I'm sure. That way they cant be sued, I'd bet for like copywrite laws blah blah blah I help manage a large fleet of roughly 6,000 vehicles and when we get the A/M grills the bow tie emblems don't fit in them-
so that can be part of the reason or the other they just don't care
Don't fool yourself that a cheap copy does not come under scrutiny of GM. Seemingly even if it simply resembles the original part, GM seems to be going after the manufacturers & suppliers. It is all about the money and licensing... Some things GM turns a blind eye, other things they go after it hard.
Don't fool yourself that a cheap copy does not come under scrutiny of GM. Seemingly even if it simply resembles the original part, GM seems to be going after the manufacturers & suppliers. It is all about the money and licensing... Some things GM turns a blind eye, other things they go after it hard.
well yeah! they've been copying/ reproducing gm parts for decades, pretty bad that GM has prosecuted for counterfeiting AC spark plugs at least that's the oldest that I have known about
Shhhh... Let the masses enjoy their low quality reproductions... NOS parts are already stupid expensive. They seem to get gobbled up by opportunists that turn around and list them on Ebay for several times their original list prices. The only way to get a deal is to know all the obsolete part numbers for the part you need, and wait for someone cleaning out an old dealership or a relatives garage. When you find those deals, you can get em for pennies on the dollar of the high end Ebay vendors.
The other thing to keep in mind is that a lot of NOS or "GM" or "AC Delco" parts aren't the same as the original equipment. Minor changes along the production run show up if you pay attention. Parts are improved, or molds wear out and are replaced or repaired. Still they're usually better than what Hawks or OER puts out, just not exactly like the 'real thing'.
Back in the mid 90's I had an 83 Buick Riviera as a daily driver. Someone had rear ended me and the bump shop got me a GM bumper guards, came in a GM box. The original parts on the car were there for 15 years and did not rust, the replacement GM parts rusted in a year... They replaced them, and the second set did the same thing.
I'm glad this thread is still going. A year ago the manufacturer promised to destroy existing stocks and retool a better part in this very thread. As far as I can tell, nothing has changed.
I sent a detailed pic of my NOS emblem to a professional plastics fabricator joint in town that had some gorgeous emblem work on their website asking if a few dozen *spot-on* repros were doable....and weeks later no response. Maybe a chicken **** request from their POV but zman and okfoz’s point on licensing issues also seems probable.
05-03-2018, 03:26 PM
